Lebanon, Lebanon

V

How do you evacuate
a country?

offshore
the gunboats have begun
the shelling
of the highway
and the houses
above
the orange groves
the f-16s drop
death

and from a balding hilltop
only eyeball meters’
distant from a field
of rusted car parts
dissolute among wild
flowers
trusting all that color from the sun
artillery destroys the heated laughter
of another
lost
civilian afternoon

Lebanon
Lebanon

the mountain people of the mountain

Lebanon
Lebanon

the cedar trees forever foraging the air
for earth for space
for non-negotiable longevity

Lebanon
Lebanon

the sea refusing to recede
the open sky that will not blink
the wailing of the soul that does not sleep
the worry beads that spell
apocalypse specific to this man
this woman

Lebanon
Lebanon

the 12 year old sings aloud
to calm the other children
terrified by murder


Here do I discover
the humility
the miracle of suffering
without surrender
the miracle of suffering
without defeat

[a section of "Lebanon, Lebanon" by June Jordan]

for more news:

• Reuters UK - Israel Bombs Hizbollah leader's home in Beirut